Terminal Station hailed in 1909 as desire fulfilled

Terminal Station hailed in 1909 as desire fullfilled BY LYNN EDGE News staff writer When it was opened in 1909. Terminal Station was hailed as "the fulfillment of a desire long cherished by the citizens of Birmingham." Monday it became a page in Birmingham's history as the Alabama Public Service Commission approved an application for its demolition. The "temple of travel" was two years in the building, at the then-extreme cost of $2 million. It was worth it. though, because July 14, 1909 American Architect Magazine called it "the most extensive of the stations so far built in the South." THE ARCHITECTS who designed the building had several problems to overcome. There was the provision for 10 through tracks and a building to accomodate passengers, baggage. express and mail. The depth of the building site was limited to 180 feet between the western track and 26th St. and the width to 785 feet, from 4th to 6th Ave. Its official opening in April 1909 was one of the biggest events ever to hit Birmingham. The city celebrated with a balloon race, a parade led by Grand Marshal E. J. McCrossin and, that night, a banquet for city officials at the Hillman Hotel. The terminal itself was decked out that day with flags and bunting "arranged in such a manner as not to detract from the general artistic prospect or hide one feature of its beautiful exterior," a Birmingham News account related. In 1926. an electric welcome sign was constructed outside the huge edifice. The sign a gift of E. M. Elliot, read "Welcome to Birmingham, the Magic City." During the administration of Mayor Jimmy Jones -- elected in 1925 -- though it was decided that this was too "small-town" and to make it more cosmopolitan, the sign was changed to read simply "Birmingham, the Magic City. By 1952. age had taken its toll on the sign. The framework had rotted and the electric wiring was in bad shape. It would have taken $3,000 to rescue it, and the money just wasn't there. On June 13, 1952, it was torn down. THE DEATH of Terminal Station began as early as 1958. Railroad officials were saying "The passenger trains are gone," and even seasoned railroaders admitted, "Now people just don't ride the train." The "realization of Birmingham's dream" had come to be referred to a "a giant in a coma from which it will never awake." Hope tor the survival of the station began to tail when, in 1962, owners considered selling the building and property to the Post Office Department as a site for a new $10 million postal facility. Postal officials said they would not consider paying more than 51.5 million for the site. But when K. C. Hallbeck, national president of the United Federation of Postal Clerks, visited the city that year, he said the terminal was "obviously as hot as Hades in summer and colder than Alaska in winter." "If they do anything with that place it would be best to put a bomb under it," he said. The sale was never made. RUMORS about the fate of the station again began flying in 1968. Some believed it would be converted into a museum: others that it would be torn down to make way for a new motel. Still others believed "they'd never tear it down." By Jan. 1. 1969, Birmingham Postmaster Ersie Palmer and his 140 postal workers had moved their operations out of the terminal building and into temporary quarters at 3401 First Ave. North, while a huge new, multimillion-dollar post office was under construction across the street from the terminal. Earlier this month the Publie Service Commission set the date for a hearing to decide the fate of the fate of the 60-year-old terminal. A few days later, the Birmingham Area Landmark Committee began a drive to preserve the building as a museum. In this final effort to give a transfusion to the dying structure, they pointed out the Terminal is Birmingham's only example of Byzantine architecture. BUT THE life of the station came to an end Monday at the APSC hearing when it was ordered torn down to make way for a new $10 million Social Security Administration office facility.

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Terminal Station hailed in 1909 as desire fullfilled BY LYNN EDGE News staff writer When it was opened in 1909. Terminal Station was hailed as "the fulfillment of a desire long cherished by the citizens of Birmingham." Monday it became a page in Birmingham's history as the Alabama Public Service Commission approved an application for its demolition. The "temple of travel" was two years in the building, at the then-extreme cost of $2 million. It was worth it. though, because July 14, 1909 American Architect Magazine called it "the most extensive of the stations so far built in the South." THE ARCHITECTS who designed the building had several problems to overcome. There was the provision for 10 through tracks and a building to accomodate passengers, baggage. express and mail. The depth of the building site was limited to 180 feet between the western track and 26th St. and the width to 785 feet, from 4th to 6th Ave. Its official opening in April 1909 was one of the biggest events ever to hit Birmingham. The city celebrated with a balloon race, a parade led by Grand Marshal E. J. McCrossin and, that night, a banquet for city officials at the Hillman Hotel. The terminal itself was decked out that day with flags and bunting "arranged in such a manner as not to detract from the general artistic prospect or hide one feature of its beautiful exterior," a Birmingham News account related. In 1926. an electric welcome sign was constructed outside the huge edifice. The sign a gift of E. M. Elliot, read "Welcome to Birmingham, the Magic City." During the administration of Mayor Jimmy Jones -- elected in 1925 -- though it was decided that this was too "small-town" and to make it more cosmopolitan, the sign was changed to read simply "Birmingham, the Magic City. By 1952. age had taken its toll on the sign. The framework had rotted and the electric wiring was in bad shape. It would have taken $3,000 to rescue it, and the money just wasn't there. On June 13, 1952, it was torn down. THE DEATH of Terminal Station began as early as 1958. Railroad officials were saying "The passenger trains are gone," and even seasoned railroaders admitted, "Now people just don't ride the train." The "realization of Birmingham's dream" had come to be referred to a "a giant in a coma from which it will never awake." Hope tor the survival of the station began to tail when, in 1962, owners considered selling the building and property to the Post Office Department as a site for a new $10 million postal facility. Postal officials said they would not consider paying more than 51.5 million for the site. But when K. C. Hallbeck, national president of the United Federation of Postal Clerks, visited the city that year, he said the terminal was "obviously as hot as Hades in summer and colder than Alaska in winter." "If they do anything with that place it would be best to put a bomb under it," he said. The sale was never made. RUMORS about the fate of the station again began flying in 1968. Some believed it would be converted into a museum: others that it would be torn down to make way for a new motel. Still others believed "they'd never tear it down." By Jan. 1. 1969, Birmingham Postmaster Ersie Palmer and his 140 postal workers had moved their operations out of the terminal building and into temporary quarters at 3401 First Ave. North, while a huge new, multimillion-dollar post office was under construction across the street from the terminal. Earlier this month the Publie Service Commission set the date for a hearing to decide the fate of the fate of the 60-year-old terminal. A few days later, the Birmingham Area Landmark Committee began a drive to preserve the building as a museum. In this final effort to give a transfusion to the dying structure, they pointed out the Terminal is Birmingham's only example of Byzantine architecture. BUT THE life of the station came to an end Monday at the APSC hearing when it was ordered torn down to make way for a new $10 million Social Security Administration office facility.